Best ways to deload?

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sarah_willis110
sarah_willis110 Posts: 40 Member
edited April 2023 in Fitness and Exercise
I currently do a 4 day upper/lower split and wondering how to deload properly.

Can I reduce my training days to 2 days, and do some walking or yoga added? Do those 2 lifting days need to be lighter than usual? Reps/sets or weight, or both? Do I have to follow percentages or just cut the weight down or do what feels light?
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  • Retroguy2000
    Retroguy2000 Posts: 1,508 Member
    edited April 2023
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    You have lots of options. It partly depends too on how much fatigue you've built up, and your goals.

    You should probably take at least some days off completely from weights and high intensity cardio. It's a good mental break at least.

    If you were doing low reps before, lower the weight. If you were doing high reps, lower the reps and/or lower the weight. Maybe lower the sets too.

    Personally, I do similar to you with UL so a workout every other day, and my current deload was four full days off. No exercise at all. Then four days with two workouts with reduced volume. The first of those was full body instead of my usual U or L, for usual workout time. I reduced set count to fit in usual time. For some exercises like barbell row, I could only lower the weight so much while still keeping the 45's on, so I did half the reps of normal. For others like dumbbell fly's, I lowered the weight by 20% and lowered the reps to 12 from 15. For db bench I did same 10 reps at about 67% normal weight. Those choices are more about convenience than pulling out the calculator, tbh. The main point is, reduced volume. Next workout will be higher volume, midway to my normal. Then after 8 days, back on regular cycle, almost. Maybe I'll do one set less for the first two workouts, I'll see how I feel.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,876 Member
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    The only time I've ever felt like I physically needed a deload was when I was dabbling in powerlifting for a couple of years as the training was far more intense than what I do to just stay physically fit. At this point I'm past trying to hit PRs and things like that and I primarily lift in the moderate weight/moderate reps range for my overall health and general physical competency.

    At this point I deload when my body tells me I need to. I do a 3x per week full body program so a deload for me is typically just taking a day or maybe two off of that load or on rare occasions just taking that week off which is more of a mental thing than anything else.

    A typical week is Sunday/Wednesday/Friday, so for a typical deload I just take the Wednesday off.
  • sarah_willis110
    sarah_willis110 Posts: 40 Member
    edited April 2023
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    @Retroguy2000 Interesting, thanks! Should I stick to my normal 7-10k steps? Maybe some stretching/yoga?

    I'm on the 4th day of no weight training and it feels good honestly. My routine is normally Monday legs, Tues upper, Wed rest, Th legs, Fri or Sat upper, Sun rest.

  • Retroguy2000
    Retroguy2000 Posts: 1,508 Member
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    I think you'd be fine doing those. I wouldn't suggest e.g. a HIIT cardio session in a deload, but some walking and light yoga, sure.

    As part of the mental break aspect during deload, maybe think of it as, "I'll go for a walk because I feel like it.", rather than the mindset of, "Must get X steps in and must be at this pace."
  • sarah_willis110
    sarah_willis110 Posts: 40 Member
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    Thanks! I'll plan on that and make my 2 UL days a little lighter. :)
  • sarah_willis110
    sarah_willis110 Posts: 40 Member
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    A fitness coach I know told me that what I suggested is not a deload. It's just "taking a couple extra days"....ugh lol
  • Retroguy2000
    Retroguy2000 Posts: 1,508 Member
    edited April 2023
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    It's often called a 'deload week', but that's not the same as 'rest week'. In your case, so far that's 4 days rest instead of your usual 2, and if you reduce the intensity in your remaining 2 workouts this week, that's a deload week. Or, take the next couple days off and do a full body workout Saturday, again with reduced intensity as mentioned, to help prepare for your returning to normal on Monday.

    This is a good read:

    https://powerliftingtechnique.com/deload-week-vs-week-off/
  • sarah_willis110
    sarah_willis110 Posts: 40 Member
    edited April 2023
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    Okay thanks! She suggested I take the whole week off but I don't think that's necessary. My forearms have been tweakin out a bit but no injuries.
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
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    Best way is very nuanced. I literally have done over 100 different ways to deminish stress over the years. The best for you will depend on your goals and training history. I as a powerlifter prefer to program washouts when I'm far from competing and high intensity deloads when within a few months of a comp.
    I'm not a big fan of taking days off unless medically necessary or perhaps vacation-travel but in most cases it's not a bad idea when thinking long term. For my clients I default by dropping volume every so slightly, but usually prefer washouts going into new programming as it transfers better for programming and retrieving data for both short and long term.
  • nossmf
    nossmf Posts: 9,008 Member
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    When I started lifting I focused on powerlifting, chasing that PR. My deload at that time was a week of using 50% weights.

    These days I focus on general health maintenance and enjoying the fun of lifting for lifting's sake. My normal routine is PPL with a fourth day per week hitting full body. Normally I don't build up enough fatigue to need a deload, but every 3 months I schedule a full week away from the gym. Not bed-rest, just no lifting. This way I schedule 12 weeks lifting, 1 week off, repeat four times during the year. If I'm planning a vacation the 1 week off may shift somewhat, but in general this has me taking my week away from the gym to coincide with my kids' spring break in March, camping in June, whatever in September, and the week between Christmas and New Year's.
  • sarah_willis110
    sarah_willis110 Posts: 40 Member
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    Of course after the deload, I'm ready to go and then I'm beginning to feel like crap. Sick or it's allergies...Ugh horrible timing!!

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